Günther Rittau

Günther Rittau ( born August 7, 1893 in Chorzow in Upper Silesia, † August 6, 1971 in Munich) was a German cinematographer and director.

Life

After schooling and natural science studies in Berlin, he worked from 1919 in the documentary department of the Decla later in Ufa, and learned the way the work of the cameraman. From 1924 he worked as a film cameraman. His specific experience in documentary production and the production of technical trick film recordings made ​​him a distinct style of cinematic vision develop. Together with Carl Hoffmann and Walter Ruttmann, he photographed in 1924 Fritz Lang's two-part Die Nibelungen and was there mainly responsible for trick shots. Long hired him for his next film Metropolis, where he worked with Karl Freund and Eugen Schüfftan, but also with the scene formers Otto Hunte, Erich Kettelhut and Karl Vollbrecht the technical side of this modern classic film.

For Joe May, he stood at Homecoming (1928) and Asphalt (1929 ) behind the camera. His first sound films he made with his colleague Hans Schneeberger for Erich Pommer Ufa, Melody of the Heart (1929) and The Blue Angel ( 1930). Meanwhile Rittau was considered one of the most important German cameramen with trick technical experience and he was responding for the production of science-fiction films not FP1 (1932 ) and gold (1934 ) were used.

In 1939 Rittau first self directed and worked from then until 1948 exclusively as a director. It was built in 1941 under his direction the propagandistic film submarines west! , Which is considered his best work as a director. In 1954 he returned behind the camera.

In the 1960s, he worked exclusively as advertising films and television documentaries.

In 1967 he was honored with the Film Award. The tomb of Günther Rittau located at the Munich Forest Cemetery, New part.

Filmography

Camera

Direction